Wearing apparel



1932. E. SCHIAPARELLI 1,891,610

WEARING APPAREL Filed Dec. 13, 1930 INVEINTOR (gfw 11W ATTORNEY Patented. Dec. 20. 1932 PATENT OFFICE ELSA SCHIAPARELLI, OF PARIS, FRANCE WEABIN G APPAREL Application filed December 13, 1930, Serial No. 502,015, and in France November 3, 1930.

This invention relates to wearing apparel, particularly to apparel adapted to clothe at least the torso; such apparel being hereinafter referred to generally as a torsal garb ment. 7

A general object of the invention is to provide a torsal garment of the cut out back type, in which is incorporated a novel and efficient brassiere structure, which may be 10 secured and tightened at the back but which is so constructed as to be invisible through the cut out opening.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a torsal garment of the cut out back type, in which, on the inside, is incorporated a brassiere structure, including a brassire band, the ends of which pass around the back and are attached to flexible members which lead downwardly toward the belt line, without traversing the cut out opening,

and are then led outwardly through an opening or openings at the back and are adapted to be passed around on opposite sides of the body to the front, thus forming a belt.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bathing suit, formed of a knitted fabric, preferably ribbed crosswise of a herringbone stripe, and having a vertical seam at the front and back medial lines and at each of the sides, so that the herringbone-stripes meet at the vertical seam on angles; the apices of said angles at the front and rear preferably pointing downwardly,

and the apices at the sides preferably point- 5 ing upwardly.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture, possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a bathing suit embodying the principles of the present invention, the fabric being shown partly broken away for clearnessof illustration; and,

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the bathing suit shown in Figure 1, with the belt unfastened.

Referring more particularly to the drawing which exemplifies the invention, there is shown a bathing suit-10, formed of a herringbone ribbed type of knitted fabric, having a plurality of alternate stripes 11a and 116, the loops of which meet each other at an angle to produce a herringbone-striped effect, the main part of the bathing suit being formed from four pieces 10a, 10?), 100 and 10d of such knitted fabric, and having vertical seams 12 at the medial lines front and rear, and vertical seams (not shown) at the sides, so that the herringbone-stripes from either quarter preferably meet each other at angles Whose apices 13' at the front and back seams point downwardly, and at the sides preferably point upwardly. This structure permits of the suit being tailored and eliminates the necessity of knitting it round, as has been usually done heretofore. Having the parts out on the bias in this manner also permits the knitted weave to give the correct pull and resiliency and keeps the garment in shape.

At its upper end, the suit is provided with arm holes 14, and a neck opening 15 which is preferably cut low, as at 16, to give a sunback effect; and at its bottom end the suit is provided with leg openings 17, and a crotch strap 18.

Built into the bathing suit 10 is a brassiere structure comprising a brassiere band 19, to which is attached at the top of the front and back on each side, a shoulder strap 20, preferably of elastic material, which passes through a loop 21 on the under-side of the main shoulder strap 22 of the bathing suit 10. The rear ends 23 of the brassiere band 19 are free, and to each thereof is attached a strap member 24, which passes down the back inside of the bathing suit, without trav- 'ersing the cut out opening 16, and thence out an opening 25 which is preferably on the other side of the back medial line from the end 23 to which it is attached. Each strap preferably passes around the outside of the suit to the front, where it may be suitably joined to the other strap member 24 to form a belt effect.

In a preferred construction, the strap members 24 are attached to the ends 23 of the brassiere band 19 by means of a short piece of elastic 26, and are formed either of the same material as the bathing suit 10, or of a suitably contrasting material; and the free end of one of the strap members 24 is provided with a clasp member 27 to cooperate with an opening 28 in the free end of the other strap member.

It is to be understood, of course, that the free ends of the straps may be tied or otherwise suitably fastened together, or may be fastened to the suit at the front, without departing from the spirit of the invention; and further that if the belt efi'ect is not desired, they can be tied at the back of the suit, or otherwise suitably fastened thereto inside or outside of the knitted fabric.

For simplicity of illustration and description, a bathing suit has been referred to as exemplifying the present invention, although it is to be understood that the principles of the invention may be applied to any torsal garment, particularly those having a low cut back, .as, for example, under garments, evening gowns, etc.; and in any case one may, if desired, make the loops 21, or an equivalent holding means, detachable from the main shoulder straps 22 of the garment, whereby the brassiere may be removed from the garment when desired.

It will thus be seen that the torsal garment and brassiere have been combined in the present invention in such a way that the brassiere' acts with a maximum of comfortand efliciency without the holding means being visible through the cut out back opening of the garment, and that the binding means may be simultaneously used to function as a belt, which may be readily released at the front and facilitates removal of the garment. 1

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s:

1. As a new artlcle of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment havin a cut outback, a brassiere band inside of said garment and having ends at the back, each of said ends being attached to a strap member passing downwardly inside of the garment without traversing the back opening, and means on the back of the garment and below the back opening for holding the strap members in such downwardly extended position.

2. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment having a cut out back, a brassiere band inside of said garment and having ends at the back, each of said ends being attached to a strap member passing downwardly inside of the garment without traversing the back opening and then passing out of the back of the garment at a point below the cut out back, whereby they are held in downwardly extended position.

3. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment having a cut out back, a brassiere band inside of said garment and having ends at the back, each of said ends being attached to a strap member passing downwardly inside of the garment without traversing the back opening and then passing out of the back of the garment whereby they are held in downwardly extended position and around the outside of the garment toward the front.

4. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment having a cut out back, a brassiere band inside of said garment and having ends at the back, each of said ends being attached to a strap member passing downwardly inside of the arment without traversing the back opening and then passing out an opening in the back of the arment whereby they are held in downwar ly extended position and around the outside of the garment toward the front; the free ends of said straps being adapted to be secured to each other at the front.

5. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment, a brassiere band inside of said garment and having ends at the back, each of said ends being attached to a strap member passing downwardly inside of the garment and gradually across the back, said strap members crossing each other at approximately the belt line, and then passing out openings at the back of the garment whereby they are held in downwardly extended position and around the outside of the garment toward the front.-

6. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment having a cut out back, a brassiere band inside of said garment and having ends at the back, each of said ends being attached to a strap member passing downwardly inside of the garment and gradually across the back, said strap members crossing each other at approximate ly the belt line, and then passing out openings at the back of the garment whereby 5 they are held in downwardly extended position and around the outside of the garment toward the front.

7. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment having a low cut back and a pair of openings disposed at the belt line on each side of the medial line of the back, a brassiere band inside of said garment and having ends at the back, each of said ends being attached to a strap member which passes downwardly inside of the arment without traversing the back opening, and out of the garment through the first mentioned opening which is laterally opposed to the end of the brassiere band to which the strap member is attached, said straps then passing around the outside of the garment at the belt line and being adapted to be secured at the front.

8. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment having a low cut back and pair of openings disposed at approximately the belt line on each side of the medial line of the back, a brassiere band in-' side of said garment and having ends at the back, shoulder straps on the brassiere band attached at the top of the front and back of said band, each of said ends being attached to a strap member which passes downward- 1 inside of the garment without traversing the back opening, and out of the garment throu h the first mentioned opening which is latera ly opposed to the end of the brassiere band to which the strap member is attached, said straps then passing around the outside of the garment at the belt line and being adapted to be secured at the front.

9. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment having shoulder straps, a low cut back, and a pair of openings at approximately the belt line on each side of the medial line of the back, a brassire'band inside of said garment havin ends at the back, shoulder straps attache at the top of the front and back of said band, means for slidably securing said last mentioned shoulder straps under said first mentioned shoulder straps, each of the ends of said band being attached to a strap member which asses downwardly inside of the garment wlthout traversing the back opening, and out of the garment through the first mentioned opening which is laterally opposed to the end of the brassiere band to which the strap member is attached, said straps then passing around the outside of the garment at the belt line and being adapted to be secured at the front.

10. As a new article of manufacture, a bathing suit comprising a portion adapted to surround the torso and having arm, neck and leg openings, the torso portion-having vertical seams at the medial line of the front, back and sides, and being formed of four pieces of a herringbone-striped type of knitted fabric sewed together by vertical seams located at the side and at the medial lines of the front and back, the herringbone stripes of each quarter meeting those of the adjacent quarter at an angle, the apices of the angles at the front and back being disposed in,the same direction, and the apices of the angles at the sides being disposed in the same direction with respect to each other and in the opposite direction with respect to the apices at the front and back seams.

11. As a new article of manufacture, in combination, a torsal garment having a low cut back, a brassiere band inside of said garment and having ends at the back, each of said ends being attached toa strap member passing downwardly inside of the garment without traversing the back opening and then passing out of the back of the garment whereby they are held in downwardly extended position and around the outside of the garment toward the front, the ends of the strap members outside of the garment being formed of suitable belt material.

12. As a new article of manufacture, a torsal garment havin arm, leg and neck openings and having t e portion adapted to surround the torso comprlsmg four pieces of knitted fabric cut on the bias and joined together with vertical seams at the medial line of the front, back and sidesso that the apices of the angles of the rows of knitting at the front and back seams are disposed in the same direction and the apices of the similar angles at the side seams are disposed in the same direction with respect to each other and in the opposite direction with respect to the apices at the front and back seams.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ELSA SOHIAPARELLI. 

